Chef notes
We all know we can make banana bread with ripe bananas, but what about the peels? During the pandemic, I wasn’t able to go on my usual compost runs to the farmers market, so I began doing research on what commonly discarded food scraps are safe to eat, and discovered that banana peels are among them (organic and thoroughly washed, of course!). And, using a fork to shred the banana peel, you can create an interesting texture that is similar to that of shredded chicken or pork. I have never eaten a pulled pork sandwich, but I imagine it tastes something like this. Either way, it's delicious — and cuts down on food waste.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 green chilies, chopped
- 1½ cups worth banana peels, cleaned of flesh and shredded with a fork
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
- nonstick cooking spray
- 4 slices crusty bread
- 4 slices vegan cheese
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, for garnish
Preparation
1.Heat olive oil over medium in a large pan and add in garlic and chilies. Sauté 30 seconds then add in banana peels. Sauté 6 to 8 minutes until darkened and soft, season with onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
2.Once the banana peels are softened and breaking apart further, add brown sugar, tamari and lemon juice; mix and let the juices sizzle and thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in half of the cilantro and push everything to one side, against the edge of the pan.
3.In the same pan, spray the center with a little cooking spray. Add in sliced bread (2 will fit at a time) to toast, 1 minute on one side, and flip. Top each with a slice of cheese and melt.
4.Remove toasts and place on a serving dish. Top with "pulled pork" and garnish with sesame seeds and remaining cilantro.
